Hologram
by XfoxxbloodX
Summary: Twenty years after the Promise Day, and all is calm. Ed has resigned from the military and is living with Al and Winry in Resembool. But...now a new enemy threatens Amestris...and it can't be killed. Three kids have to step up and take charge to survive.
1. Prolouge or Pilot

Hello, there, everyone! It's me again, and I've got a new story for you. This one is set twenty years after the end of Brotherhood, and just so you know, Ed and Al aren't going to be in this. It's pretty much gonna be all OCs. :3 Anyway, here's the prologue/pilot. Just so you know, the first and second sections were written by my friend Brindle, and she is a way better writer than I can ever be. So, don't expect detail like that. Sorry. ^^ Anyway, enjoy our co-op!

…~Prologue/Pilot: The History.

…**:ANTHONY:…**

Creak..

Creak..

Creak..

The tire swing swayed back and forth lazily, slower and slower, only speeding when the wind gave it an encouraging push with it's invisible airy hands. The nine-year-old sighed, sandy hair standing on end as he laid on his back in the tire, letting his limp fingers trail along the dust and dirt, while his feet disturbed the silence by crackling and crushing a couple of fallen leaves and cracking some acorn shells or twigs. His young blue eyes looked up at the twisting and snarling branches above him, fully clothed in lush green leaves that whispered and swayed with each summer breeze. School was out, but Anthony sure as heck wasn't in the mood. After all, his father was all the way back over in Central and where was Anthony? Stuck back home, in the outskirts of South City, with only grandparents to watch over him with a mother and father almost constantly away from home and doing military work in Central, only coming home on weekends.

_Sometimes I wish they'd just let Mom and Dad have a vacation once in a while,_ he thought, knowing that the possibility of that happening was very close to zero. Pulling himself back up, he held on to the rope has he resumed swinging the tire, bored out of his mind. After all, there was almost no kids his age to play with and the ones that were either hated him or, to put it simply, were girls. So each day he stepped out into the world that smelled of sheep and grass and swung on his tire swing all day, until his grandparents called him in for lunch or dinner that is. Sometimes he'd read, but soon lose interest since he read almost all of the books in their house, including the scientific ones that made even Gramps narrow his eyes and raise a brow in confusion, which seemed like a shocker to Anthony since he was always telling him all of these stories of the old days and plus, Gramps used to be a teacher from the Academy. Who could be smarter than him? But Anthony didn't really have a thing for science, he like literature and history a bit more. He didn't want to become an Alchemist like his father, especially after hearing about the crimes they did almost forty years ago in the Ishvalan Civil War. Anthony had many sleepless nights due to his Gramps telling him stories of the terrible battles that occurred in that dreadful war, often having nightmares of people screeching and screaming in agony, a dark fluid that poured out of their wounds that could only be identified as blood. He shuddered at the thought, rubbing at his itching eyes as if trying to swipe his vision clean of those dark nightmares that only preyed upon him under the cover of night. Anthony dug his heels into the dirt and started to pull the tire back some more before pulling his feet upwards, swinging faster and longer with the wind whistling slightly in his ears. He thought he saw some other girls around his age playing on the sidewalk across from his house and he only frowned. What were they playing, that girly game called skotchhop or something? He never really got the point of playing that game when you can always hop around on one foot if you feel like being called or thought a fool. But sometimes he was so desperate for something fun to do that he almost asked them if he could join them, only responding with fits of giggles. Girls were weird.

"Anthony, my boy.."

The child's head turned to see his grandfather, wearing his battered brown hat and holding his wooden cane at his side, standing on the porch of the house. "Yeah, Grampa?" Anthony called, slipping out from the tire before walking over to him. His grandfather never really left the house since he had aching joints, so this was a surprise for the nine-year-old. "Where ya going?"

"Your grandmother told me that there is a family that just moved in just down the street from us," Grampa told him, his voice quivering and cracking from old age. "I wanted to come down and say hello to them, since Grandma will be shopping all day. Would you like to come?"

Anthony shook his head, not in the mood to face anymore annoying neighbors. He's had enough of the neighbors, always wanting to push their kids to play with him even though the most likely thing they'd do would be to just drool or beat him up, maybe even ignore him and go hang out with his grandparents, who would just force them back to him.

"They have a boy, Anthony. He's only around one or two years younger than ya, but...I hear he's a nice little thing..."

"That's what all the neighbors say about their kids when they're only jerks," Anthony mumbled. "Look Gramps, go meet them yourself. I'll clean up the house before you come back..." He really didn't want to argue with his grandfather, since he was the closest thing to a fatherly figure that Anthony ever had when his real dad wasn't around. Grampa was about to fight back when he thought better of it, his dark stern gaze softening.

"Alright. I'll be back soon. Lock the doors and don't open the door for anyone. If anything happens, call the Morrisons' next door." His grandfather headed for out of the yard, opening the fence with his other hand before looking back over at Anthony and said, "I love you, Anthony."

"Love you too, Gramps," Anthony told him with a small smile. When his grandfather turned back around, Anthony thought he saw the corners of the old man's lips begin to pull back in a smile.

…**:ZHOU:…**

"..I did what?"

"Don't act innocent!" one of the kids barked at the Xingese seven-year-old. "We know you robbed the bank! It had to be you!"

Zhou blinked, puzzled but yet amused at his peer's expression, trying to stifle a giggle despite standing in front of a pretty tough crowd. His hands were locked with each other, hidden underneath his traditional Xingese robes. He was just going to the library to collect a book for his mother when those kids popped out of nowhere, rage on their faces. Zhou didn't understand how just some innocent seven-year-old could rouse up such a big uproar among his peers, but he stayed where he was to face them rather than to run away. He regretted that. "When was this bank robbed?"

"Last night! All the adults were talkin' 'bout it and say that it was one of them Xingese folk!" a kid from the back of the group piped up, probably a new recruit because he received many icy glares. They were obviously intent on telling a false reason but Zhou appreciated the new kid to tell him on the specifics.

Zhou shrugged. "It does not mean it was me. Now, may I please get through so I can get my mother her library books? She still does not know much Amestrian and needs to know before getting a job—"

The leader of the group, a pig-faced kid with messy red hair, blocked him with a single step to the side, thanks to his exceptionally large body mass. Zhou took a step back, having heard of how famous Pig-face was with his arm strength. As well as decking skills.

"Ya ain't goin' nowheres, squinty! Not 'til ya admit that ya did rob ol' Mister Sloan's bank!" Pig-face growled. "We'll make ya tell tha' truth and then ya'll get arrested by thee authorities!" All the other kids nodded while others cheered in approval. Zhou shook his head.

"Why admit something I have not done? It is pointless. The adults will never believe that I robbed the bank. It is not like you can control other minds and bend them to your own will."

"We can always try—"

"Being a bit more kind? I doubt you even tried."

"What did ya say, Squinty?" Pig-face demanded. Zhou blinked. His mouth was open but the words did not come from him. The rest of the small group consisting of six children, excluding Pig-face, looked around in confusion, searching for the person who said those words. Pig-face, however, was the only one to spot the sandy-haired boy standing a few feet behind Zhou, hands tucked in his pockets with a scowl on his face, blue eyes narrowed.

"Oh, your eyes will be squinting once I give you two black eyes, Snout-nose!" the stranger barked, clenching his hands into fists. He walked to stand next to Zhou, standing a couple of inches taller than the Xingese child. He seemed older, maybe a year or two his senior, but that didn't seem important at that moment. What did seem important was that this kid looked like he was ready to beat Pig-face into a pulp.

Pig-face only laughed, snorting like a pig after each guffaw. "Do you really think you can beat us, Durante?" Pig-face sneered, his thugs seeming to crowd in with ugly grins on their faces. The boy shrugged, hands still in pockets.

"No, but..." His features were graced with a devilish grin. "Maybe THIS can!" He whipped out two tomatoes and flung them at Pig-face, both splattering all over their intended target, splattering red tomato matter all over the place. Anthony then grabbed Zhou by the arm and raced away, the Xingese boy hearing his laughter all the way to their hiding place.

…**:GYPSY:…**

It was a foggy morning, the cobblestone streets shrouded in a comforting embrace. One sleepy building stretched and awoke, lamps like eyes flicking on to start the day. There was quiet upon the world for a few tense moments. Had it awoken for nothing? As if on cue, the reverberations of several sets of feet clattered through the dreary mist. Shadowy shapes flitted around and finally dared to enter the golden pool of liquid light. They were revealed to be young women of perhaps twelve or thirteen years of age. They were all shivering slightly, shuffling their feet, eager to seek the warmth of the house.

The wooden door creaked open slightly, letting a stream of light fall upon two girls. They squinted in the brightness, and the entrance threw itself open. A few of the ladies held up a hand, as if to shield their eyes from the blinding stabs of light. Others merely stood there, blinking stupidly.

The figure that stood there, erect and confident, looked down upon them with a mixture of confusion and sturdiness. Her light gray hair was up in a bun, and tinged orange in places where the light caressed it. Her lined face was warm and kind, and a smile graced her lips.

"Come along, everyone," she said, gesturing to let the girls in. "Let's get to work."

This was a dance class. For hours, the girls practiced and rehearsed. They danced until the sun was up, and the clock chimed ten. The older woman clapped her hands twice, signaling the end of practice.

"All right, girls," she called as they gathered. "That's enough for today. Go on home, and be back here tomorrow."

"Right," they chorused, and went to change back into their normal clothes. In the back room, they chatted and gossiped like any other teenage girls do. One of them wit long blonde hair approached another with slightly darkened skin and even darker hair.

"Hey, Gypsy," she said excitedly, "wanna walk home with me?"

The other, Gypsy, looked up, blinking her emerald eyes. "Sorry, Amanda, but I don't think I can today," she explained. "My stepmother wants me home to help tidy up."

Amanda's round face fell, but she instantly brightened again. "Oh…well, okay. If you see Anthony around, tell him I said hi, okay?"

Gypsy nodded and smiled, standing. "Sure. Bye, Amanda!" She jogged for the door, but halted as she saw two familiar shapes through the window. They were both male. One was her age, but the other seemed a year or two younger. The one her age was blonde, and had his arms crossed, watching her through the window with a grin plastered to his face. The other with dark hair and sort of squinty eyes had his hands folded into his sleeves, neither smiling nor frowning. He was…neutral. Gypsy hurried outside, standing on the steps with her hand brushing the railing.

"What are you two doing here?" she asked, clearly surprised.

"Waiting for you, smart one," Anthony replied, rolling his eyes. He pushed off the wall he was leaning on, waiting for her to come down rather than going up. "Besides, you're getting good."

Gypsy, had she been anyone else, would have turned pink. Instead she narrowed her eyes to slits, rivaling Anthony's companion. "You were watching me? The both of you?"

"Duh," Anthony said, rolling his eyes again. "No, we came to stand here for no reason. Zhou, what did you think of Gypsy's dancing?"

The younger boy blinked. "I believe that her accuracy far surpasses—"

Anthony sighed and put a hand over Zhou's mouth. "Tell the nice lady you like her dancing, Zhou."

The Xingese child blinked. "You dance well," he said simply, which caused Gypsy to giggle.

"Thanks, Zhou," she said. "Now come on, you two, let's go."

…~

Thanks for coming this far! Don't worry, it will get better…at least, I sincerely hope so.


	2. A Different Kind of Reunion

Here's chapter two~! Just so you know, four years have passed since Gypsy's POV in the intro and the trio haven't been in contact with each other since.

…~Chapter 2: A Different Kind of Reunion.

…**:Anthony:…**

"Dog of the Military, huh?"

The young man let out a sigh. He ran a hand through his blonde hair. He preferred keeping it short rather than long. Long hair made him look like a girl. His blue eyes flicked down at the silver pocket watch grasped in his other hand. The dragon and its gaping mouth stared blankly off into space. Anthony tipped his head sideways to stare at it.

"Well, I guess I can live with that," he mused. "Maybe now I'll get access to the information that will help me find Gypsy and Zhou." He trailed off, memories swamping his mind.

The last time he'd seen the two was a little over four years ago. Gypsy had to move away because of tension between her parents, and Zhou had simply vanished off the face of the earth. With regret, Anthony Durante realized he didn't even know their last names. Childhood innocence sure could be a damn hard convenience when trying to find something. They'd been so close they never even thought about trying to find each other if they'd gotten separated. There never seemed any reason to.

And now, finally, after failing three times, at age seventeen, Anthony had finally been accepted as a State Alchemist.

"Jeez, what a relief," he said to the air. "Well…now let's get to work." He put the watch in his pocket and started walking. To find his friends, he had to walk halfway across the city to the research facilities. They kept tabs on everyone in Amestris according to the census. They had a profile of most citizens on record. Hopefully, they would have something useful. _Four years is a long time,_ he told himself grimly. _Way too long._

As he walked, Anthony decided to take a new route through town. So, he let himself wander a bit until he happened across quite a predicament. A girl probably around his age was trying to get her bag through a doorway, but the pack was clearly too big. She was pulling on it with all her might, but it wasn't budging. Seeing a way out of it, he cracked a grin and strode over. Upon further inspection, her skin had a tan to it, and her hair wasn't quite black, but rather a darker shade of brown. It fell forward, hiding her face from view, but Anthony thought she was quite a beautiful young lady.

"Do you need some help there?" he inquired, trying to appear as friendly as possible.

She raised her head, emerald green gaze meeting his sapphire one. "Oh, yes, thanks," she said. "It's this damn bag. It doesn't fit," she explained.

Anthony nodded, amusement tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Yes, so I see. Here, stop pulling on it a minute." She did so, and the bag fell approximately a foot to the ground, landing with an awful loud THUD. _What does she have in here, bricks?_ Anthony wondered to himself. He reached down and spun the package sideways. Now it would fit through the door without any complications. "And there you go."

"Oh, so _that's_ how you do it…" She grinned. "Hey, thanks. By the way, I never caught your name. What is it? Mine's Gypsy."

Anthony's blood froze in its tracks. Wha…what? What was this…a joke? Gypsy was… No, it couldn't be… He studied her face closely. The eyes, her hair…they were all familiar. She'd just gotten taller and matured more. Her eyes, which had been so round and innocent, had taken on a harder look. But there was no mistaking it.

This was his childhood friend.

"Gypsy?" he repeated in a voice no louder than a whisper. "That's what you said, right?"

She blinked in confusion. "Um, yeah. Why? Do I…know you from somewhere?"

Anthony nodded quickly, pointing to himself. "Gypsy, look, it's me! Anthony Durante! Remember? We were friends a few years ago."

He saw the recognition dawning on her face. Her eyes lit up as she realized who it was. "Anthony!" She threw her arms around his neck. "Oh, God, it's been forever! I've missed you sooooo much!"

"Yeah, same here," he replied, pulling away so he could get a better view. "You've gotten taller."

"Duh, I didn't shrink." She rolled her eyes but grinned. "You have too. What've you been up to these days? Come on, tell me!"

"Well, it's kind of a long story…" He rubbed the back of his head and cast a sheepish grin her way. "Let's find a place to sit down."

She pointed to the still-open door which they'd freed her bag from. "How about here?"

He snorted with laughter. "Okay, that works."

…**T**ime **P**asses…

"Wow…fours years and you never stopped looking."

Anthony nodded. He'd just finished his explanation to Gypsy of the past few years, including how he tried several times to become a State Alchemist just to track them both down. It had taken four years, but he'd finally done it. But what luck to run into her… _If I'd taken my usual route, this may never have happened,_ he told himself.

"But you're a State Alchemist now?" she inquired. When he nodded, her face lit up. "That's so cool! Wow, I can't believe it…you're considered one of the best now."

Anthony shrugged. "I guess. But anyway, you've heard my side, what about yours?"

Gypsy grimaced and drummed her fingers on the table. "Mine's nowhere near as fascinating as yours. As you remember, we had to move away suddenly. We went West for two years or so. Then my grandmother passed away, and with that my father bid me to return here and get a real education. And…that's what I did. Pretty boring, huh?"

Anthony was quiet for a few long moments. Then, he asked, "Have you seen Zhou around at all?"

She fell silent too. "No," she replied finally, staring at the table. "I haven't seen him." Then she brightened and said, "But don't worry, we'll find him. Come on, I'll go with you."

He blinked in surprise. "You don't have anything to do?"

She shook her head. "Nope. I was just going to the library, but it can wait. 'Sides, we haven't chatted in forever."

Anthony did admit she had a point, so they headed out together. Gypsy pointed out a so-called "shortcut" which Anthony was literally dragged along. She grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled. To bystanders, it may have looked quite a lot like a kidnapping.

"Okay, okay," he growled. "I can walk on my own thanks. We'll take your way."

"Great!" she chirped brightly, letting go of his collar. Anthony only had a split second to regain his balance, but hit the ground anyway. He got back up with a sour glare at the girl, but the sight of her cheerful face meant he couldn't stay mad for long.

"So, which way do we go?"

Gypsy pointed down a street with seemingly random accuracy. "That way~!" She marched off, and Anthony had a sinking feeling that this wasn't a shortcut after all.

And roughly a half hour later, he got his answer. Gypsy had meandered, he assumed, through perhaps every side street in the city, and now, they were lost.

"We're lost, aren't we?" he sighed.

She shot him an icy look. "No, we're not…I just don't know where we are."

Anthony smacked himself on the forehead in a gesture commonly referred to as a 'face-palm.' "You haven't changed a bit, Gypsy."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" she asked indignantly.

A sound had caught Anthony's attention. It was quiet and hardly notable to someone other than an alchemist, but he knew what it was.

The sound of a transmutation circle activating.

Anthony acted without thinking. He tackled Gypsy to the ground just as the ground where he'd been standing moments before erupted into large spikes. Anthony's first thought was 'Crap, what now?' and his second was 'Wait a sec, what the hell's going on?'

"Jeez, Anthony, what was that for?" Gypsy snarled from under him. She craned her neck, trying to see past. When she saw what had happened to the ground, she froze. "Wait, what the…?"

He got up, offering her a hand while scanning the surroundings. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"No…I'm okay." She accepted his hand and got to her feet. "What's going on?"

"I don't know yet," he replied. He followed the line of spikes into a side alley, but could see nothing through the darkness. He narrowed his eyes, trying in vain to make out a shape. If there was someone in there, they were doing a damn good job of keeping themselves hidden. It would be dangerous for Gypsy to stay with him, but even more so if he sent her to hide. "Stay close."

Laughter echoed from the walls. Anthony assumed this was their attacker, and didn't move. He could go in and find out, but that would be suicide. Going into a dark alley with an unknown enemy who may have laid traps? Never a good idea.

"Good job," the disembodied voice approved. "You have to be fast to avoid that. You're the newest State Alchemist, aren't you?"

"And who wants to know?" Anthony challenged.

"No one important," the voice retorted, a note of annoyance entering the tone. "It's not like I have anything personal against you. I just hate the military."

"Oh, great," Anthony muttered under his breath, "another smartass who wants to cripple the military." Raising his voice, he called, "Well, I only joined to find my friends."

"Bah. That's a lie." Now the voice was cold. Anthony could discern a slight movement in the shadows; a patch that was darker than the surrounding areas. "All of you alchemists who serve the military are worse than dogs."

_Yeah, or so I've heard,_ Anthony wanted to snap back, but held his tongue. If he just had something to draw with… But, of course, he'd been caught unaware and didn't. _From now on, I will never go anywhere without chalk._

"So, if I get rid of the alchemists," the voice stated, "then the military won't be so pow—who are you?"

Anthony exchanged an odd look with Gypsy. If this guy had forgotten who they were so fast, this would be _waaaay_ too easy. Then again…that didn't entirely make sense. Gypsy tugged on his sleeve, pointing to the biggest of the line of alchemically changed street-spikes. It came to an almost pin-sharp point, capable of spearing someone, but to their surprise, someone was balancing neatly on its tip.

The newcomer was dressed all in black with braces on his wrists above fingerless gloves. A mask, black rimmed with white and red diamonds under his eyes and above where his eyebrows were, covered his face. He wore no hood, so the black bangs that framed his face were visible. His hair was drawn up in a thin ponytail at the back, tied with a long string with two tassels at the ends. A sword hung at his waist, and as the two watched, the stranger drew it with one swift motion. It was impossible to know if he was male or female, but Anthony assumed male.

"Well, speak up!" the first assailant growled.

The stranger said nothing. It might have been his imagination, but Anthony thought that he glanced at the before springing into action. He ran down the ever-decreasing sharp-pointed street-spikes with surprising ease and leaped into the darkness without hesitation. Anthony exchanged another glance with Gypsy and they both quickly followed.

By the time they arrived and their eyes adjusted, it was clear who had the upper hand in the fight. The alchemist was throwing clumsy punches, which the stranger dodged easily. Moving almost too fast to keep track of, he spun around and knocked the first assailant off his feet. Before the rouge alchemist could get up, a sword was pointed at his neck.

"That was quick," Gypsy said quietly from beside him. "Do you think…he's gonna kill him?"

Anthony didn't know. He had no idea who this new arrival was, but he was grateful for being saved the time of having to beat this guy. "Don't kill him," he said aloud, surprised at how loud his voice was.

The one with the mask looked towards them out of the corner of his dark eyes. He seemed to be wanting a reason why not to quickly flick his arm to the left. Anthony picked up on this even though no words were said.

"Well…he can go to jail or something," he offered. "He doesn't need to die."

The stranger didn't sheath his weapon immediately. Finally, after what seemed like eternity (but was probably only thirty seconds or so), he lifted the weapon away and put it back where it belonged. He watched Anthony and Gypsy for a few more moments, then was gone, seemingly into thin air.

"You're not gonna turn me in, are you?" the alchemist asked in a whisper. "I promise I won't do it again."

Anthony, still having not quite a good grasp on what happened, simply nodded. "Yeah, go ahead. Go." Without waiting to see if his order was obeyed, he turned and strode out of the alley with Gypsy beside him. All the while, he had the strangest feeling of being watched…

…~

And, finally, it's done. Rainy, this one's for you~


	3. The Masked Warrior

Next chapter's finished~ I had seriously no idea what to put in it. . Disclaimer;; I don't own FMA or FMA:BH but the new characters and plot belong to me and Brindle. Got it?

…~Chapter 3: The Masked Warrior.

…**:ANTHONY:…**

Anthony searched for hours, but could find no record of a former citizen of Xing named Zhou. He wasn't even _close_. This put him into a foul mood. Gypsy had gone to the library to return her books while he looked, so he resolved to head that way and inform her of his unsuccessful attempt.  
>"Jeez, he really did vanish off the face of the earth," Anthony muttered, descending the steps that led to the outside world. "Who would've thought…"<p>

He stopped with his foot on the last step. The feeling of being watched had returned…that annoying, indescribable sense… Anthony lifted his head, looking around slowly. They were around here somewhere. When nothing was found on ground level, he turned his eyes more upwards.

There.

On top of a roof was the same masked person from earlier. Anthony stared for a moment, then the stranger turned and fled. Now he was curious. What was up with this guy? Saving them once was one thing, but now he was spying? Anthony shook his head. He could worry about that later. Gypsy was waiting.

It took Anthony practically no time at all to reach the library. He didn't have to look around long before he spotted her half-asleep while reading a book. Amused, he headed over and shook her awake.

"Gypsy…this isn't the greatest place to sleep."

"Hrrmm?" She lifted her head, blinking sleepily. "Oh, it's just you, Anthony." She gave a huge yawn. "Any luck with the search?"

He hesitated, then shook his head. "No. I didn't find anything. It's like…he vanished off the face of the earth, you know?"

She gave a nod. "Mm. Did you see him after I moved away?"

"Only twice." Anthony pulled a chair out and plopped into it. "And both those times he seemed really…withdrawn. More than usual, you know?"

She nodded. They both remembered Zhou as a very secretive and careful child. He was odd because he kept his face a blank slate, and never seemed to be happy or sad or anything. It was rare they saw him smile, and neither of them had ever heard the younger laugh before. Zhou was always formal. He never used contractions or did anything he deemed conspicuous** among 'normal' people. His behavior was odd at times…and even though he was two years younger than Anthony and Gypsy, he could outclass them in mental capacity.**

Gypsy broke the silence by raising her head with a queer look on her face. She closed the book with one hand, swinging her head around. "Hey, Anthony…are you getting the feeling we're being watched?"

His breath caught. He'd been too caught up in memories to notice…but Gypsy was right.** That damn sense was back ****_again_****. Anthony joined in the search. It wasn't anyone in the library…so…**

The window.

Anthony turned slowly around, looking behind him. Sure enough, the mask-wearing stranger was watching them through the window. Although…he was hanging upside down by his feet from the ledge above. Through his anger at being spied up, Anthony couldn't help but admit that this guy was good. They stared at each other again, then the stranger pulled himself up and disappeared from view.

"Okay, now I'm getting suspicious," Anthony growled, standing up. "Come on, Gypsy, we're going after that guy."

"Uh, kay, whatever."

By the time they were outside, though, he was gone. Anthony merely stared at the empty roof for a minute.

"Damnit, now he's really pissing me off!"

"**We're never gonna find him," she sighed. "So you don't know who he is?"**

"Never seen him before…"** Anthony put a hand on his head. "I know he saved our lives and everything, but the next time I run across him, I'm going to tie him up and make him talk."**

Gypsy's left eye twitched. "Don't you think that's a bit…**_extreme_****?"**

"Pfft, no**." Anthony grinned. "Besides, you said it yourself, I'm a State Alchemist. I'm one of the best."**

**She raised her hands to shoulder height, palms facing the sky. A smirk crossed her face. "Okay, but don't blame me when he kicks your ass."**

"Hey, you take that back!"

"No way!"

"May I be of some assistance?"

They both looked up. There he was again, standing at the corner of the building behind them and the one directly to the right of it. Mask and all secrecy aside, they were surprised to hear him speak. (They finally knew the speaker was male, much to their relief.)

"Yeah, actually," Anthony said, cracking another grin. This one had a twisted, demonic sense to it. "You've been following me around, haven't you?"

The stranger inclined his head slightly. "I have."

"Okay, so spill the beans. What's up with that? Why am I so interesting to you?"

There was a long pause in which no one spoke. Finally, the one with the mask said quietly, "You remind me of someone I have not seen in a very long time."

Anthony drew back. The mask…and the way this stranger talked… There…was no possible way…

…**F**LASHBACK

_Anthony heaved a sigh. Ever since he'd helped that little Xingese kid out, he hadn't seen him. Anthony didn't know why this put him in such a bad mood. He was no one important, right? Still, he couldn't help feeling protective. He'd only known the kid for a couple hours, but he seemed like a nice guy, much less like the other kids on the block. He shoved his hands in his pockets. No time for this, he already had plans for the afternoon. Gypsy was waiting for him. Realizing he was going to be late if he didn't find a shortcut or something, Anthony slipped down a side street._

_That was his first mistake._

_While wandering blindly through the dark, he came across the band-leader commonly referred to as 'Pig-face.' With a sinking feeling, Anthony noted he had no tomatoes this time, and Pig-face looked pretty mad._

"_I've been waitin' for you, Durante," Pig-face snickered. "Been waitin' to beat your ego down t' size."_

Oh, great, just what I need… _Anthony was by no means a sissy and could throw a pretty good punch, but if Pig-face got even one blow in…well, it wouldn't be pretty. He wasn't sure if he should take the risk and stand to face his opponent or turn and flee._

"_What, you gonna run away, ya big coward?" Pig-face sneered._

_Anthony narrowed his eyes. "Against somebody as weak as you? No way! I can beat you with my eyes closed."_

_That was his second mistake._

_He should've run when he had the chance. Within no time at all, Pig-face had him cornered and was chortling like a farm animal. Anthony pressed his back into the wall, as if trying to melt into it. This was it for him. One blow to the head and he'd be the laughingstock of the neighborhood for weeks on end._

_And out of nowhere, someone leaped and slammed down upon Pig-face's head. The bully went down, and the newcomer did a neat flip and landed beside but slightly in front of Anthony. He wore a mask of black, rimmed white around the edges and with a bit of red, so Anthony had no idea who he was. As they watched, Pig-face got to his feet groaning. As he caught sight of his assailant, his face became livid._

"_You little pipsqueak!" he snarled. "You'll pay fer that!"_

_To Anthony's surprise, his savior didn't back down. Instead, he sprang back into the fight before Pig-face could adequately recover. The kid was small and fast, and quickly incapacitated the larger opponent. Pig-face was down in ten seconds flat, leaving Anthony stunned. _Wow…the kid's pretty good.

"_Do you surrender?" the stranger inquired in a controlled and calm voice._

_Pig-face groaned. "Yeah…just leave me alone, whoever you are." He got to his feet and staggered away, casting a fearful glance back at the two boys. Typical bullies…once the heat is on, they can't stand the kitchen._

_Anthony watched him leave, then turned his attention to the boy behind the mask. "Uh…thanks, I think. I would've gotten beat up if you hadn't stepped in there."_

"_We are even now," was the simple reply._

"_Who are you, anyway?"_

_The kid reached up slowly, removing his mask. With a jolt, Anthony recognized his face. It was the same Xingese kid he'd protected from Pig-face a few days back._

"_Hey…it-it's you!"_

"_We meet again." The kid tucked his hands back into his sleeves and gave a bow. "I am sorry for not introducing myself. I am Zhou."_

_Anthony blinked. "Well, uh, hi there. I'm Anthony. You know, you're pretty good. Where'd you learn to kick ass like that?"_

"_It is simple Xingese defense," Zhou said, seemingly slightly confused as to why Anthony didn't know this._

_The blonde shrugged. "Oh well. You should come hang out with me and Gypsy sometime. It'll be fun having you."_

"_Gypsy and I," Zhou corrected, seemingly without thinking about it._

"_Oh, shut it."_

…**E**ND **F**LASHBACK

"Take off your mask," Anthony said, breaking the silence.

The stranger didn't move for a long time. Then, he reached up and slowly removed it. The slanted eyes, the dark hair… There was no doubt about it…

"Zhou!" Anthony took a few steps forward. "I…I can't believe it's actually you!"

"Then…you are indeed Anthony?"

"Well, yeah," he snorted in reply. "Where the hell have you been all this time?"

To their surprise, Zhou hesitated and looked away. "It is…complicated." Try as they might, they couldn't see past the shadow hiding most of his face. No one spoke until he looked up again, seemingly back in control. "But let us not dwell on that subject. Tell me, is the girl with you Gypsy?"

Anthony nodded, grinning once more. "Yep. She's hasn't changed a bit, as you can see."

Zhou tipped his head to the side. "No, I believe you are incorrect. She is taller now, for one. She seems a capable young woman."

Gypsy stuck her tongue out at Anthony. "Hah. See, I told you so. Thanks, Zhou."

"Um…you are welcome?"

"Oh, enough of this!" She instead dashed up and wrapped her arms around Zhou's neck. The poor guy looked like he had no idea how to react to such a development. "I missed you soooo much, Zhou!"

"Oh, uh…" He glanced at Anthony with such a look of utter helplessness that the other tried not to burst out laughing. "Help?"

"Sorry, bud," Anthony snickered, doubled over and holding his middle, "but you're on your own with her."

"I do not recall why I am friends with you two," Zhou muttered in what seemed to be an exasperated tone.

"Well you'd better start recalling," Gypsy growled indignantly, letting him go. "I haven't waited four years to hear words like that."

"My apologies."

"Zhou, you're making it worse."

…~

And done. :3 This one's a little shorter, but I ran out of ideas. ~.~


	4. Hunting the Hunter

Chapter four already. Wow. O.o Pretty good progress for me. ^^

…~Chapter 4: Hunting the Hunter.

…**:ANTHONY:…**

It was such a coincidence that Anthony couldn't help but stop and think.

The day he was accepted as a State Alchemist, and he'd found both Gypsy and Zhou in less than half a day. Well, completely by accident of course, but still. Four years of searching…and in one day, they both were found. What a remarkably cheesy coincidence.

"There's something I don't understand," he said aloud, drawing both Gypsy and Zhou's attention. "I'm relieved to find you both okay and all, but isn't it rather odd we all met up today?"

"What do you mean?" Gypsy inquired.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Anthony glanced to Zhou, and he knew the younger knew what he was talking about. "I've been looking for you two for a little over four years now…and we all happen to be in the same place at the same time. Isn't that just the slightest bit odd?"

"I understand," Zhou said. "You are suspicious of what brought us back together. Perhaps it would be best if we found a place to talk."

"We can use my place again," Gypsy offered. "It's closest, anyway."

"No. Not there."

They both looked at Zhou. He seemed to be his normal reserved self, but something was…_off_. There was an expression in his eyes that Anthony couldn't read. It wasn't fear, or apprehension…it seemed kind of like…caution, maybe? Anthony wasn't quite sure.

"Why not, Zhou?" Gypsy asked, a bit of uncertainty in her tone. "Why can't we go back to my place?"

"I have already jeopardized your lives by revealing myself. I must go." He made to walk away, but Gypsy, quick as a flash, grabbed his wrist. Zhou halted, looking down to her hand, then up to her face. "Let me go, Gypsy," he said quietly. "I cannot stay."

"No freaking _way_," she growled back. "Not after three years. If you won't come willingly, we'll drag you."

"That would not be wise."

Her expression darkened. "Wise schmise. I don't care." She grabbed him by the ponytail and proceeded to walk back towards her house. Zhou was forced to hop backwards for the first couple yards before turning around and walking sort of bent sideways.

"Gypsy, you are not thinking rationally about this," he protested. "You are putting yourself at risk by staying by my side."

"And I don't really care," she retorted, yanking on his hair forcefully. "You're staying and that's the end of it. I don't care if you're a wanted criminal or you're being hunted by mass murders."

"That is, as you say, 'hitting the nail on the head.'"

Both Anthony and Gypsy stopped dead in their tracks. What Gypsy had said was meant to be an exaggeration of circumstances. A really big one. Surely, Zhou wasn't saying that…it was actually _true_? They turned to stare at him. He didn't meet their gazes straight on, and merely watched the floor.

"Pull the other one," Gypsy giggled, letting go of his ponytail. "That's funny, Zhou."

"Have I ever lied to you?" he asked the ground quietly.

There was silence. Truthfully, neither of them knew if Zhou had ever really lied. They weren't sure if he was telling the truth, either, but still… Anthony just had a feeling that the answer to the question was no. He didn't even know why…he just _knew_.

"What are you talking about?" he asked aloud. "I don't get it. What do you mean?"  
>"I am saying that I am indeed a wanted criminal. I am both hunting and being hunted by a group of people who wish for, as you say, my head 'on a silver plate.'" Zhou gave a half-hearted shrug. "I fear I have endangered your lives by revealing myself, for they may come after you to get through to me."<p>

"Do you think it'll work?" Gypsy asked with an alarming amount of intrigue.

"As you are aware, I will not let myself lose my head over emotional circumstances—"

She scowled. "Are you saying that you'd just let us get killed?" she snarled in a dangerously low voice.  
>"No, that is not what I was meaning to imply," he answered, seemingly unfazed. "I am merely stating the fact that—" Zhou cut himself off. Something like alarm flitted across his face, then icy calm settled over him. He lifted his head, turning his eyes to the building tops. "They are here."<p>

Anthony and Gypsy looked around too, but they didn't see anyone. No one on the street, no one on the roofs… They were alone…weren't they?

"Zhou, there's nobody here," Gypsy pointed out. "I just think you're over—" She was cut off when Zhou put a hand over her mouth. She looked infuriated, and probably would've yelled at Zhou had she not seen the look on his face.

His expression clearly read 'Don't say a word if you want to survive the next few minutes.' He flicked his free hand toward the narrow alleyway right behind them, giving them a pointed look. Anthony went first, then Gypsy, and Zhou came last.

"So what's the deal?" Gypsy hissed. "Who's here, Zhou? And where? What's going on?"

"'The deal' is a very long story that cannot be told at the moment. 'Who,' or rather, 'they' are a group of elite warriors skilled in close combat. 'Where,' I am not quite sure, but I will find out. 'What is going on'… We are under attack. Or rather, _I_ am under attack." He shot a glance at her over his shoulder. "Have I accurately answered your inquiries?"

Gypsy looked even more annoyed than before. "No, you haven't answered my questions. I want to know what is going on. Why are you being hunted?"

He shook his head slightly. "No, it is the other way around… _I_ am hunting _them_." Zhou seemingly tuned her out and closed his eyes.

Anthony hadn't said a word the entire time. Really, he didn't know what he was supposed to say, if anything. He didn't know what to make of the situation. A friend from years past shows up out of the blue and now says he's being hunted by mercenaries but refuses to say anything more… Cool story, bro. Couldn't it be that Zhou was just overreacting?

Or…maybe not.

The answer came almost right after Zhou leaped out of their hiding place. Not even three seconds later, and part of a building across the street exploded. Anthony grabbed Gypsy's wrist and pulled her down to avoid the flying debris. Most of it was deflected by the buildings on either side, and the rest flew right over their heads. The dust and dirt kicked by up by the blast was mostly trapped in the square, and hid the scene from view.

"What just happened?" Gypsy asked, lifting her head.

"I think…part of a building blew up," Anthony answered, feeling pretty stupid for not having a better reply.

"Well, I saw _that_," Gypsy returned smartly, glaring at him. She looked over, and it took her a second to realize Zhou was missing. "Hey, where'd he go?"

"Shh." Anthony tipped his head to the side. He'd heard something…but he didn't know what it was. It was…metal striking metal? Yeah, something like that…coming from the dust cloud. And there were…voices? Yeah…but not Zhou's.

"Give it up, kid," one of them sneered. "We've been chasing you for months now. How far can you run?" There was another loud clang, then several swears. "Damn, kid, quit fighting dirty!" A pause. "Oh, so all's fair in love and war, is it? Hah hah, very funny."

"Oh, give it a rest, Bruce," another male growled. "I'll handle this one. Get the other two. They're listening in."

A patch of the cloud that was darker than the rest was heading right for them. Anthony reached into his pocket. He had chalk in there…what? Where was it? It was supposed to be right there! He'd put it there—! Too late. The thug was behind Gypsy, one arm wrapped around her neck, and the other pointing his sword at her throat.

"Let her go!" Anthony snarled. "I'm a State Alchemist, you know. I can put you in a world of hurt if you don't listen to me." _Wow, that sounded a lot better in my head…_

He sneered, tipping the blade so he could more easily slit her throat. "Oh yeah? And where's your chalk, _State Alchemist_? You need to draw a transmutation circle to perform alchemy."

Anthony had been counting on this guy not knowing that he didn't have any chalk on hand. _Okay, Plan B. _"Maybe I'm one of the few who don't need to draw transmutation circles," he said, grinning too. He raised his hands. "Maybe all I have to do it put my palms together… Are you willing to risk it?" _Please take the bait…please be a generic, dumb henchman…_

A flicker of doubt crossed the guy's face. Anthony had a brief hope that he was going to swallow his bluff hook, line, and sinker. But…that didn't happen. The doubt was quickly replaced by smugness.

"Maybe you can," he said, "but the second your hands come together, I kill the girl. Can you clap fast enough to save her?"

…_Damn. He's right._ Anthony gave Gypsy a look. He couldn't do anything at the moment…nothing that wouldn't endanger her life, anyway. He was inwardly kicking himself. Some State Alchemist, he couldn't even protect his friends. _Zhou, where are you? I need your help, buddy…_

And Anthony had a strong suspicion that Zhou, at that moment, could read minds. From the middle of the cloud flew a knife, and it struck the guy holding Gypsy captive square in the shoulder. He howled in pain and loosened his grip on her. Gypsy seemed to decide that now would be as good a time as ever to play dirty. She raised a foot and kicked the dude right where it counts, as hard as she could. Anthony winced, and quickly took her hand as he collapsed on the ground, whining like an injured dog. They got out of there fast.

The dust was finally starting to clear. Zhou was in a sword duel with the other, smooth-voiced bandit, or whatever they were. It seemed about even, but as they watched, Zhou overpowered his opponent and forced him into a proverbial corner. Zhou, as usual, was a mask of unbroken calm, but his enemy was anything but. He wore a furious snarl and seemed ready to resort to trickery.

"Give in, lest you force me to kill," Zhou said.

"Never," hissed the other. "You're just a kid. I didn't even know why we were told to eliminate you…but now I see. I know who you are. You're from Xing. I bet they conscripted you to work on Project X-Zero-Zero-Seven-Three-Nine…didn't they, kid? They _used_ you to make those _things_."

Something like anger flashed across Zhou's face. With one swift flick of his wrist, he sent his opponent's weapon spinning in the air, landing point-down and burying itself in the ground not even a foot in front of Anthony. He took a few tottering steps back. That could've hit them.

"That has nothing to do with this," Zhou stated in a very icy tone.

The other, now forced into a _real_ corner, merely threw back his head and laughed. "Are you kidding? It has everything to do with this! Those things that they created…they're loose now, you know. You've been hunting them down, I've been hunting you… Those things are your fault. _You_ helped create them!"

"Against my will," was the snappy reply. It was the closest Zhou had come to yelling so far. "I did not have a choice in the matter."

"Ohh, but you did. You just chose to pretend you didn't to escape the guilt. Everybody involved with that taboo project had a choice. You included, kid."

Zhou had clearly heard enough for one day. He tightened his grip and slid his arm to the side, neatly detaching the man's head from his shoulders. The resulting fountain of red hit the ground, the wall, and Zhou. The younger didn't even look fazed as the body hit the street with a rather dull thud. Behind him, across the square, the other thug-bandit-assailant, the one who had been wounded before, was up again. He had his murderous eyes fixed on Zhou's back, and his sword in hand. Without so much as a word, he charged.

Gypsy saw him first, then Anthony. "Zhou, behind you!" they both shouted, trying to warn him in time.

Zhou didn't move. He didn't even turn around. Once he was too close to swerve away or back down, Zhou held his arm out behind him. The one holding the sword. Anthony quickly processed what he was about to do, and put a hand over Gypsy's eyes.

The bandit was speared through the chest. He twitched a few times, then went limp, and merely fell backwards off Zhou's weapon. Zhou, by this time, was back to his normal unemotional self. He looked their way, and Anthony once again couldn't read this features.

"We need to leave," the younger stated. "This place will attract unwanted attention soon."

Anthony nodded, feeling numb. "Right. It's a bit of a walk, but my apartment isn't anywhere near here." _We don't want to be anywhere within a hundred yards of this place for a while…_

So, he led the way. A lot of things were running through his mind… Zhou had been right. They'd been attacked in broad daylight. Zhou had killed them both…he was only fifteen. But most of all…Zhou had gotten angry. And what was this 'Project X00739'? What were 'those things'? Why had it made Zhou so upset?

…Who was he, really?

…

Augh, finally done. Feel free to kill the writer for being such a stereotypical author. ;-; If you don't, somebody will. xD Hopefully…the next chapters won't take so long… Cross your fingers.


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